@analogluvr & @uberwaltz,
Like many others here I’ve been delighted with the ART9. Among its many excellent qualities I would say that the one which stands out the most is simply its neutrality, meaning that it doesn’t seem to overemphasize or underemphasize any part of the spectrum. Dynamics and resolution of detail are also excellent.
To provide context, for the better part of the previous 30+ years I was using various incarnations of the Grace F-9E and F-9E Ruby. Most recently an F-9 with Soundsmith’s $350 "Ruby Cantilever / Nude Contact Line Diamond" stylus/cantilever assembly. Which is a very nice cartridge, but I found it to be not quite as accurate or dynamic as the ART9.
My tonearm is a 1980’s Magnepan Unitrac I, which has a relatively low effective mass of 8 grams. The ART9 has a highish compliance, specified as 18 × 10-6 cm/dyne at 100Hz, which I suspect probably means something like 30 x 10-6 cm/dyne at the 10 Hz frequency that compliance specs provided by non-Japanese cartridge manufacturers are usually based on.
I see that the Lyra Helikon is spec’d at 12 x 10-6 cm/dyne at 100Hz, and has a weight that is very similar to the ART9. Given that as well as the fact that several members here have reported excellent results using the ART9 in medium mass arms I doubt that there would be any compatibility issues using the ART9 in an arm that is suitable for use with the Helikon.
I’m uncertain about compatibility in Uberwaltz’s case, though, as I’m not familiar with his arm and the compliance of his Shelter cartridge appears to be somewhat lower, at 9 x 10-6 cm/dyne, presumably at 100 Hz since it is made in Japan. Although it’s weight is again very similar to the weight of the ART9.
Best regards,
-- Al
